Wikipedia

Hubert Rigney

Hubert Rigney (born 30 July 1971) is an Irish former hurler. At club level, he played with St Rynagh's and at inter-county level with the Offaly senior hurling team. Rigney captained Offaly to the All-Ireland SHC title in 1998.

Hubert Rigney
Personal information
Native name
Aodh Ó Roigne (Irish)
Born (1971-07-30) 30 July 1971 (age 54)
Banagher,
County Offaly, Ireland
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Sport
SportHurling
PositionCentre-back
Club
Years Club
 St Rynagh's
Club titles
Offaly titles 3
Leinster titles 1
Inter-county
Years County Apps (scores)
1990–2002
 Offaly 29 (0-02)
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 2
All-Irelands 2
NHL 1
All Stars 1

Early life

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Born and raised in Banagher, County Offaly, Rigney attended Banagher Vocational School and lined out in all grades of hurling during his time there. He won an All-Ireland Vocational Schools' SHC title in 1989, following a 1–12 to 2–06 win over Roscrea Vocational School in the final.[1]

Club career

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Rigney began his club career at juvenile and underage levels with St Rynagh's, before progressing to the club's senior team.[2] He won his first Offal SHC medal in 1990, after a 2–06 to 1–07 win over Birr in the final.[3] Rigney won further Offaly SHC titles in 1992 and 1993.[4] He was also part of the St Rynagh's team that beat Dicksboro by a point to win the Leinster Club SHC title in 1993.[5]

Inter-county career

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Rigney first appeared on the inter-county scene for Offaly as a member of the minor team in 1988. He was left corner-back on the team that beat Clare by 2–16 to 1–12 in the 1989 All-Ireland MHC final.[6] Rigney immediately progressed to the under-21 team and won consecutive Leinster U21HC medals in 1991 and 1992, however, these provincial wins were later followed by consecutive All-Ireland U21HC final defeats.[7]

Rigney made his senior team debut in a National Hurling League game against Derry in November 1990.[8] His debut season ended with Offaly winning their first ever National League title, after a two-point win over Wexford in the final.[9] Rigney won his first Leinster SHC medal in 1994, before later claiming his first All-Ireland SHC medal after a 3–16 to 2–13 win over Limerick in what has become known as the five–minute final.[10][11] He ended the season with an All-Star award.[12]

After winning a second consecutive Leinster SHC medal in 1995, Rigney later lined out at centre-back in Offaly's 1–13 to 2–08 defeat by Clare in the 1995 All-Ireland SHC final.[13] Three years later, he won a second All-Ireland SHC medal when, after losing out in the Leinster SHC final, he captained Offaly to a 2–16 to 1–13 win over Kilkenny in the 1998 All-Ireland SHC final, to become the first "back door" winners of the title.[14][15]

Two years later, a series of injuries hampered Rigney and he was controversially omitted from the Offaly team that was beaten by Kilkenny in the 2000 All-Ireland SHC final.[16] He later withdrew from both county and club hurling in protest at his omission, while his brother Michael also withdrew from both panels.[17][18] Rigney rejoined the Offaly panel in March 2001, after a number of invitations from manager Michael Bond, Offaly County Board chairman Brendan Ward and the interventions of Brian Whelehan and Aidan Fogarty.[19] He played his last game for Offaly in July 2002.[20]

Personal life

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Rigney is involved in the Offaly branch of the Collins 22 Society, which pays tribute to Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins.[21]

Honours

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References

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  1. ↑ "Roscrea and Banagher vie for All-Ireland VS honours". Midland Tribune. 6 May 1989. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
  2. ↑ "Defender of the faithful". Irish Times. 11 September 1998. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  3. ↑ "St Rynagh's HC". Club Info. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  4. ↑ "Roll of honour". Offaly GAA website. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "All-Ireland Club Hurling". Irish Independent. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "Leinster Minor All-Ireland Hurling Winning Teams" (PDF). Leinster GAA website. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "Offaly: The glory years". Irish Independent. 9 June 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "Hubert Rigney". Uibh Fhailí. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "Offaly Profile". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "No-one in 1994 envisaged how far we would fall - Whelahan". Irish Independent. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  11. ↑ "Offaly's 1994 All-Ireland winners to host 'day of celebration' 25 years on". Offaly Express. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "All Stars". Offaly GAA website. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "20 years on from All-Ireland hurling victory". The Clare Champion. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "Feel-good factor finally returning to Offaly hurling". Irish Examiner. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "THURSDAY THROWBACK: Read the full report on Offaly's remarkable victory in the 1998 All Ireland Final". Offaly Express. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  16. ↑ "2000 – the dying kick of a great Offaly hurling team". Offaly Express. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  17. ↑ "Unhappy Rigney opts out after Final insult". Irish Independent. 16 September 2000. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  18. ↑ "New twist to Rigney row". Irish Independent. 13 October 2000. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  19. ↑ "Rigney rejoins Offaly hurling panel". RTÉ Sport. 14 June 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  20. ↑ "WARNING approach Faithful with a great deal of caution". Irish Independent. 5 June 2003. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "Collins 22 Society - Ireland". Collins 22 Society website. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
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